Gopher-trap.



A. SCHHECK.

GOPHER TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29. 1913.

Patented Apr. 13, 19

THE NORRIS PETERS CD. FHOTO-LITHU.. WASHING TON, 0. c

sue Perrier ADOIEH SCI-IRECK, 0F PHOENTX, ARIZONA.

GOPHER-TRAP.

Application filed November 29, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADoLPH SoHREoK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pheonix, in the county of Maricopa and State of Arizona,have invented new and useful Improvements in Gopher-Traps, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to gopher traps, and its object is to provide atrap of the spring-jaw type connected by hinged or pivoted memberswhich, when opened, are adapted to hold the jaws spread apart, and whichare adapted to close or collapse to permit the jaws to close and engagethe animal.

A further object of the invention is to provide a trap which may beeasily set and sprung, which is eflicient and reliable in action, whichmay be cheaply manufactured and sold, and in which the hinged settingand releasing elements are of a self-locking type to hold the jawsspread and embodying means for limiting their opening movement andpermitting of such movement in a ready and convenient manner.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination andarrangement of parts herein fully described and claimed, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a perspective viewof the trap as set for use. Fig. 2 is a top plan view showing the trapsprung. FigsB and 4 are cross sectional views through the trap showingthe hinged, setting and releasing ele ments in their opened andcollapsed positions.

Referring to the drawing, 1 and 2 represent the jaws of the trap, whichare provided at one end with engaging teeth 3 and have a suitable springconnection a at their opposite ends normally tending to close said jawsor move them with a desired force and rapidity toward each other. Atpoints intermediate the lengths of the respective jaws are providedpintles 5 to which are hinged the relatively outer edges of a pair ofsetting and releasing members 6 and 7, which members are hinged orpivoted together, as at 8. These members 6 and 7 are adapted to beopened or moved forwardly in. a position substantially in alinement witheach other, by which the distance between their hinged outer edges isincreased and the jaws spread open to set the trap for action, while atthe same time the members 6 and 7 assume a Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Apr. 13, 1915 Serial No. 803,779.

lock-joint position, thereby maintaining the jaws open or spread. Themembers 6 and 7 are adapted, however, when light rear= ward pressure isplaced thereon to move backward, out of lock-joint position, and toassume a folded or collapsed condition, thereby releasing the jaws foraction, as will be readily understood. For the purpose of enabling themembers 6 and 7 to be conveniently set and to limit the forward oropening movement of said members, one of the members, as the member 7,is provided with an extension 9 lying in the plane thereof and adaptedwhen said members are opened to over-lap and bear against the member 6,thus limiting the opening movement of said members beyond the lock-jointposition. This projection or extension 9 also serves as a finger pieceby which the operator may conveniently force the members 6 and 7 to openposition, by pressure of the thumb or finger inserted down between therear portions of the jaws, the arrangement being such that the extension9 serves as a manipulating lever.

In the particular embodiment of the invention shown, the jaws, pintlesand teeth or spurs 3 of the trap are made of wire, each jaw being formedby the superposed arms of a pair of V-shaped upper and lower wiremembers 10 and 11, the arms of each of which wire members are connectedat their rear ends by a coil spring, the two coil springs forming thespring connection 4 between the jaws. As shown the superposed arms ofthe frame members forming each jaw are connected by the associatedpiutle 5, while the forward ends of the wire arms of each jaw areconnected by stays 12. Preferably the arms of each jaw are bent towardeach other inwardly to provide two of the teeth 3 of a jaw, while theends of the associated brace 12, which are braced, soldered or otherwisesecured to the bent ends of the jaws, cross such bent ends of the jawsand terminate in cooperating teeth 3, each jaw thus being provided withsuperposed pairs of inwardly projecting teeth or spurs to engage theanimal.

As is well known, the gopher is a burrowing animal which digs a chamberor excavation in the earth to which he retires, and the banks up theloose earth at the entrance of the excavation to shut out the light. Inthe use of the trap, when one of these excavations is discovered, theset trap is introduced into the loose earth, a sufficient amount ofWhich is displaced to admit light into the excavation. The gopherthereupon hastens to repair the break and in so doing comes in contactWith the members 6 and 7 of the trap, the pressure of the gopher on saidmembers causing the trap to be sprung, the jaws engaging and holding theanimal.

It will be obvious that the construction described is simple andinexpensive and provides a trap Which may be conveniently set for actionand Which is reliable and eflicient in operation.

I claim A gopher trap comprising a pair of spring jaws, each embodying apair of superposed arms, rods connecting said arms, a U-shaped settingand releasing member having its arms hinged at their free ends to one ofsaid rods, and a second setting and releasing member comprising a platehinged at one of its end edges to the other rod and inten mediate of itslength to the cross portion of said U-shaped setting and releasingmember, the free end of said plate being adapted to abut against thearms of the U-shaped member when said members are disposed in alinementto lock the aWs in spread position.

In testimony whereof I ai'lix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ADOLPI-I SCI'IRECK.

Witnesses:

J. H. LANGSTON, O. A. KANE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

